Combination clamping wire stretcher and splicer



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ELMER E. LYON, OF COSBY, MISSOURI.

COMBINATION CLAMPING WIRE STRETCHER AND SPLICER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 558,086, dated April 14, 1896.

Applicationfiled May 10, 1895. Serial No. 548,853. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern-.-

Be it known that I, ELMER E. LYON, a citi zen of the United States, residing at Cosby,

in the county of Andrew and State of Mis souri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a Combination Clamping Wire Stretcher and Splicer; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in combination clamping wire stretchers and splicers and the objects of my improvements are, first, to provide a wire-stretcher that will draw the wire taut between the stretcher and last post to which fastened; second, to provide a wire-stretcher which will draw the wire taut and against the line of posts simultaneously; third, to provide a wire-stretcher which can take up and draw together the two ends of a broken wire, so that a splice may be made; fourth, to provide a wire stretcher which grips the post with a'force directly proportional to the stress produced in the wire.

I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawing, which is a full perspective view of the entire machine, and in which- A A are the grip-arms for engaging the post; B B, the end points on the grip-arms; O O, the inside points on the grip-arms; D, an ordinary wire-clamp; D, place to which extra clamp may be attached for splicing wire and also for holding wire while chain is run back to get new hold on wire to draw it tight if not sufficiently taut from first draw; D, 0

also for extra clamp for splicing wire; E E, rear arms connecting grip-arms with frame; F, chain to which clamp D is attached and which is wound upon a roller to stretch the wire; H, the roller; I, the square end of roller, to which crank is attached 5 J, a crank for turning roller, which is interchangeable on the two ends of the roller H 5 K, a ratchetwheel rigidly attaclied to roller H 5 L, a dropcateh to engage wheel K; M M, uprights of frame; N N, springs to draw grip-arms together while attaching D to the wire; 0, a hinge-bolt for grip-arms; P P, the top and bottom of frame, and R a projection or handle on drop-catch L, by which to hold up said drop-catch while the chain is being run out. To use my invention, the grip-arms are opened by drawing hinge-bolt O and the frame apart and the arms placed about a post. The springs N N cause the points B B and O C to pierce the post and thus hold the machine in position. I The chain F is drawn out and a wire, previously fastened at the end, is caught by clamp D. The chain F is then rolled upon roller H by turning crank J until the wire is sufficiently taut and is held so by the catch L and ratchet-wheel K. The wire being taut and against the line of posts can be stapled fast and a new hold taken farther ahead.

Should the clamp D be drawn up against roller H and the wire still be slack, the end of the wire back of the clamp D may be put into a clamp attached to the frame at D and a new hold taken with D without slacking the wire.

To splice a broken wire, one end would be put into a clamp attached to the frame at D, the other end put into clamp D, and the ends brought together by winding up chain F. The splice-wire may then be put on and afterward the clamps can be removed.

What Iclaim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

In a combined clamping wire stretcher and splicer grip-arms A A turning on spring-bolt O and fitted with points B B and O O, springs N N, clamp D and chain F for stretching the wire, roller H with square ends I, crank J, catch L having handle R, ratchet-wheel K and rear arms E E, the whole carried by a suitable frame consisting of horizontals P P and uprights M M and having places D" and D where extra clamps may be attached, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.

- In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ELMER E. LYON.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. l-I. LEE, J. H. CONWAY. 

